The invention relates generally to vehicle interior components, and more specifically, to an illuminated cup holder assembly.
Cup holders may be positioned throughout a vehicle interior for securing beverage containers. For example, the center console, armrests, door panels, or other interior structures of the vehicle may include one or more cup holders. Certain cup holder configurations include a recess disposed within the interior structure, and a liner inserted within the recess. The liner is configured to secure the beverage container within the recess, thereby limiting movement of the beverage container during vehicle operation. Typical cup holders may accommodate a variety of cups, cans, bottles, and the like.
Certain cup holders include ambient lighting to increase the visibility of the cup holder and/or the beverage container in dark conditions (e.g., while driving at night). For example, certain cup holders may include a lit ring extending about the circumference of the cup holder to enhance the visibility of the cup holder in dark conditions. The lit ring may be illuminated by multiple light sources distributed about the ring. However, the distributed light sources may cause the lit ring to emit light with varying intensities. For example, a region of the lit ring proximate to a light source may emit light with a greater intensity than a region remote from the light source. Accordingly, the aesthetic appearance of the cup holder may be reduced. In addition, providing multiple light sources, and their associated electrical circuits (e.g., circuit boards, driving components, etc.), may significantly increase the cost of the cup holder.